Tuberculosis (TB) Services

Richland County Health Office TB Services:

Bimonthly consultation with physician from the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine

Follow up care for positive TB tests

TB Medication Therapy for latent and active TB cases

Treat and isolate active TB disease cases

All TB testing and treatment are at no charge for Richland County residents only. There is a $10.00 charge for TB skin testing for residents living outside the Richland County limits. Testing is available Monday – Friday (excluding Thursday).

Tuberculosis (TB) : is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal.

How TB is Spread:

TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.

TB is not spread by:

shaking someone’s hand

sharing food or drink

touching bed linens or toilet seats

sharing toothbrushes

kissing

Latent TB Infection and TB Disease

Latent TB Infection

TB bacteria can live in the body without making you sick. This is called latent TB infection. In most people who breathe in TB bacteria and become infected, the body is able to fight the bacteria to stop them from growing. People with latent TB infection do not feel sick and do not have any symptoms. People with latent TB infection are not infectious and cannot spread TB bacteria to others. However, if TB bacteria become active in the body and multiply, the person will go from having latent TB infection to being sick with TB disease.

TB Disease

TB bacteria become active if the immune system can’t stop them from growing. When TB bacteria are active (multiplying in your body), this is called TB disease. People with TB disease are sick. They may also be able to spread the bacteria to people they spend time with every day.

Many people who have latent TB infection never develop TB disease. Some people develop TB disease soon after becoming infected (within weeks) before their immune system can fight the TB bacteria. Other people may get sick years later when their immune system becomes weak for another reason.

For people whose immune systems are weak, especially those with HIV infection, the risk of developing TB disease is much higher than for people with normal immune systems. Learn more about LTBI and TB Disease.

For more information about TB or to get tested, the Richland County Health Office today.